The Encyclopedia of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) that existed from 1973-74 to 1976-77. The NAHL was spawned by the death of the Eastern Hockey League and is the inspiration for the 1977 classic cult movie 'Slapshot'.

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Thursday, September 26, 2013

Michel Plante of the Philadelphia Firebirds

Michel Plante along with Bob Collyard
and Gord
Brooks led the Philadelphia Firebirds to the 1975-76 Lockhart Cup
championship in the North American Hockey League. Plante played the final three
years of the NAHL’s existence followed by one more year in pro hockey before
retiring.

Michel Plante – NAHL

Plante played with the Philadelphia
Firebirds for three years from 1974-75 to 1976-77. He appeared in 213
regular season games, scoring 102 goals and assisted on 140 for 242 points.
Like the rest of the Firebirds, Michel really shone in 1975-76.

Over 73 regular season games in 1975-76, Plante scored 52
and assisted on 66 for 118 points. He placed fifth in the NAHL for goals, ninth
for assists and seventh for points. In the playoffs, he added another 27 points
over 16 games as the Firebirds captured the Lockhart Cup championship with a
victory of the Beauce Jaros
in six in the finals.

Michel Plante – QMJHL

Michel played for the Drummondville Rangers in the first
three years of existence for the QMJHL, 1969-70 to 1971-72. Plante’s hometown
Rangers ceased operations after the 1973-74 QMJHL season. In his final two
years with Drummondville, Plante wore the ‘A’ on his jersey. In 1970-71, he led
the team offensively with 39 goals and 54 assists for 93 points over 61 games.

Michel Plante – Pro Hockey

Plante was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fifth
round of the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft, 75th overall. He played pro
from 1972-73 to 1977-78 in the WHA, SHL, NAHL and IHL. Michel appeared in 92
regular season and four playoff games in the World Hockey Association with the Philadelphia Blazers
in 1972-73 and 1973-74.

In his final year of pro, Michel almost had his second
championship. He played for the Port Huron Flags in the International Hockey
League. The Flags did not excel during the regular season, finishing fourth out
of five teams in the IHL North Division with just the sixth best record in the
nine team IHL.

However, the Flags knocked off the division leading Saginaw
Gears in the opening round, four games to one. It then took just another five
games to take out the second seed Kalamazoo Wings to earn a berth in the
finals. Port Huron came up against the Toledo Goaldiggers and stretched the
series to the full seven games before bowing out. Plante contributed 15 points
over 17 playoff games to push the Flags to the finals.